HealthLetter
Vol. 35 • No.4
APRIL 2015
®
“A n
ounce
of
prevention
is
worth
a
Everyday
Earth Day
ideas
Before you invest time, money, and effort into
making new recipes, first really understand
them to make sure you’re up to the culinary
challenge. Pg. 2
5 ways to squeeze in exercise
without rescheduling your day
No time for a workout session? Hate the
idea of formal exercise? Find out how to get
in your recommended daily physical activity
in easy ways. Pg. 3
3 at-home health checks you should
do regularly
Get in the habit of keeping tabs on
your body. Pg. 4
I’m so jealous
How you deal with jealousy can make all the
difference in how it affects your life. Pg. 5
Mini money makers
Teach kids to earn money to help them
learn the value of a dollar. Pg. 6
‘Calgon®, take me away’
Discover tips to help you slow the pace of
life from a sprint to a jog. Pg. 7
Pick up your things... and
• Take it one step further. If you go for
a walk, head out with a bag in hand
so you can collect trash.
Don’t be wasteful... with anything.
• Use less water. Turn off the faucet
when you’re brushing your teeth. Take
shorter showers. Use an automatic
shut-off nozzle on a hose when washing
your car.
c u r e.”
The ins and outs of reading recipes
You don’t have to become
a zealous environmentalist
to do your part. Maybe it’s
as easy as doing what most
mothers teach their children
to do from a young age.
• If you see litter from someone else,
pick it up and throw it away.
of
Quick-Read!
How often do you think about
the planet on which we live?
If you’re like most people,
you have so many daily todos that you forget to pay
attention and give respect
to the world around you.
your brothers’ and sisters’ things,
too, while you’re at it.
• That means not littering. Ever.
pound
Snack swaps
• Don’t leave lights or other electronics on when not in use.
• Use fuel-efficient transportation —
walking, biking, public transit, and vehicles with high gas mileages.
Help others when you can.
• Donate/give away things you don’t
use instead of throwing the items away.
You’ll keep stuff out of landfills and provide much-needed/much-appreciated
things to individuals who can acquire
them at little to no cost.
Learn the secrets to satisfying substitutes
so you won’t sabotage your healthful
eating efforts. Pg. 8
“There are no passengers
on Spaceship Earth.
We are all crew.”
— Marshall McLuhan
OuterAisleFresh:
Making the case for
cacao
Cacao (pronounced “kuh-kah-oh”) is getting a lot of
attention in the health-food world. Cacao is raw chocolate.
Because it has undergone minimal processing, it is the purest form of
chocolate available.You can find cacao as nibs, powder, butters, and pastes.
What are the health benefits?
Cacao is full of antioxidants, magnesium, and chromium. These and other
compounds may reduce blood pressure, improve the health of blood vessels,
improve cholesterol levels, and enhance bowel health.
How is it used in cooking and baking?
• Nibs are pieces of the raw bean, without any added fat or sugar, and
can be added to cookies and cakes, blended into smoothies, or even sprinkled
over oatmeal.
• Powder is a fantastic substitute for cocoa powder in most any recipe.
• Butters and pastes are wonderful in baked items.
The ins and outs of
reading recipes
Before investing time, money, and
effort into making new recipes, first
really understand them to make sure
you’re up to the culinary challenge.
Pay attention to:
• Time required — The prep time
is how long it will take to wash, soak,
chop, slice, and do other hands-on
activities. The cooking or baking time
is when the recipe is actually cooking
on the stove or baking, broiling, etc.
in the oven. Be sure to check if the
recipe needs to set for a certain
length of time, too.
• Ingredients — Make sure you have
the key ingredients or know which
ones you can use substitutes for and
which you cannot.
• Tools — If a recipe calls for a certain size pot or pan and you don’t
have it, opt for using a bigger one,
if you can, to reduce cooking time.
It gets a little tricky with baking. The
time, rise, and overall final product
can be significantly affected by any
changes.
• Number of servings — Knowing
this upfront will help you determine
if you can make the recipe with the
amounts given or if you need to halve
the recipe, or double or triple it.
Sources: One Green Planet; Nutrients. Oct. 13; 5 (10);
4159-4173
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© HHI
2
GetMoving:
The great debate:
walkingvs.
running
Walking may make you less injury prone.
Running comes with greater risks of shin
splints, runner’s knee, strains, and injuries from
falls, and puts more stress on the body. If you
want to add extra challenge to walking, use
ankle or hand weights.
Should you walk or
run? It all depends.
Both have pros and
cons. However,
either can help
in your efforts
to be healthy.
If you’re looking to burn the greatest
number of calories during a certain amount
of time, running may be the better way to go.
The average person can burn 800 calories per
hour running and 300 calories while walking.
Running may also curb your appetite
more. One study, although very limited in
size, showed that walkers consumed 50
calories more than they burned when eating
at a buffet afterward, while runners took in
almost 200 fewer calories than they burned.
Both walkers and runners consumed fewer
calories than those who rested.
Source: Journal of Obesity
5
ways to squeeze in
exercise without
rescheduling
your day
What will it take for
you to get up and get
moving already?
Feeling less than motivated to work
out? It happens, even to the most
enthusiastic exercisers, from time to
time. Here are ideas that may boost
your drive to stick to fitness efforts.
• Money talks. Consider buying fitness class sessions or exercise experiences on a social saving site, such as
Groupon or LivingSocial. Once you’ve
bought the class/experience you’ll
be forced to either attend it or waste
the money.
• Get outside. Even if you’re not the
outdoor type, by taking your exercise
efforts outside, you’ll have to get
dressed and walk out through a door.
By then, you’re already committed.You
might as well go for a walk, jog, or
bicycle ride.
• Reward yourself. Tell yourself that
you can have special treats if you meet
certain goals. For example, you might
give yourself a “free afternoon” to do
whatever you want if you get in a daily
walk for a month.
• Create a competition. Find friends,
family members, or neighbors who
might have a similar fitness goal.
Challenge them to see who can stick
with reaching the goal without giving
up. Agree upon an inexpensive or free
prize.
You don’t have to designate a certain time of
day to work out, or even have a specific goto fitness routine to get in daily activity. The key
is to be mindful of opportunities throughout
your day when you can add movement.
1. Do squats while brushing your teeth.
Sitting in front of the
computer doesn’t mean you
have to be sedentary. Squeeze
your glutes and abs at the same
time. Give it a try for a count
of 10. Repeat.
2. Do calf raises while blow drying your hair.
3. Do arm curls with your purse or briefcase
while waiting in a line or in a reception area.
4. Walk up escalators instead of just riding them.
5. Only drive to places where you can’t safely walk.
3
TheWholeYou
PhysicalHealth:
3at-home health checks
you should do regularly
1. Measure your mid-section — at the level of your belly button.
You may be at a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease if you’re a male with
a waist greater than 40 inches in diameter, or if you’re a nonpregnant female with a waist greater than 35 inches.
2. Scan your skin — Start with your face and work your
way down your entire body, observing any moles. Use the
ABCDE skin standards for evaluating moles. A – asymmetrical, B – irregular borders, C – abnormal color, D –
diameter larger than a pencil, E – size evolving over
time. If your moles show any ABCDE signs, contact
your healthcare provider.
3. Test your tiredness — You’ll need to ask
someone else to help with this one, because you’ll
need that person to watch you sleep. Have your
partner pay attention to snoring patterns, pauses
in breathing lasting 10 seconds or longer, and
gasping for air, moaning, or mumbling. These are
signs of sleep apnea. If your partner does notice
these habits, you may want to contact your healthcare provider for evaluation for a formal sleep study.
Acupressure:
An alternative to
acupuncture for people
who hate needles
Acupressure is a Chinese healing
method that has been practiced for
thousands of years. Think acupuncture
without the puncture from needles.
Instead, practitioners use their fingers,
elbows, and toes to target certain pressure points.
Clinical studies are still fairly young,
but there is evidence that it can help
with:
• Nausea • Headaches • Pain
Although doing complicated acupressure techniques on yourself isn’t
recommended, when you get a
headache, try squeezing the
web of skin between your
thumb and index finger gently
for a few seconds.
people associate consuming
You don’t have to be Many
excessive amounts of alcohol
liver disease, but more
a heavy drinker to with
people suffer from the condihave liver disease tion due to other factors.
It’s estimated that one in four people have what’s called non-alcoholic fatty liver
disease (NAFLD), although many people don’t even realize they have it. People are
also starting to get the disease at younger and younger ages due to their lifestyle.
People with NAFLD have a higher risk of death than the general population,
especially from heart disease and liver disease.
NAFLD usually doesn’t have any initial symptoms.Your healthcare professional
is the best one to ask whether you should be tested for NAFLD.
For information on how to prevent liver damage or reverse it in the early stages, go to Apr.HopeHealth.com
Sources: American Liver Foundation; “Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease” by M Bayard, J Holt, E Boroughs
(American Family Physician June 01, 2006)
4 © HHI
Sources: MedlinePlus; Susan G. Komen
Foundation®
TheWholeYou
I’m so jealous
EmotionalHealth:
A fun way to
add creativity
to your day
Jealousy is a normal emotion. How
you deal with it can make all the
difference in how it affects your life.
You don’t have to be a professional photographer to enjoy
and benefit from a month-long
“Photo of the Day” challenge,
when once a day, for a month,
you take a photograph that
reflects whatever that day’s
theme happens to be.
Taking time to think about what picture you’ll snap
and then getting it may boost your creativity and
make you more mindful of the world around you.
You don’t need a fancy camera, either. Simply use
the one on your cellphone, if you have one.
You can find a number of “Monthly
Photo of the Day” challenges by simply
searching online using those terms or just
go to Apr.HopeHealth.com for one you can
print and keep with you. To remember to take
your daily photo, you may want to set a reminder
an electronic device (such as your phone or computer) or post a reminder where you’ll see it daily.
Easy, healthy Easter
basket options
When you feel jealousy creeping over
you, ask yourself:
• Why do I feel the way I do? Is it
because you feel someone has it “better” than you do? Or, is it that you don’t
like your significant other talking to or
interacting with someone else?
• Do I have a valid reason to feel the
way I do? Did that other person somehow harm you/take advantage of you to
better him or herself? Has your significant other previously been unfaithful?
You then need to make positive
changes to help combat your jealousy.
If you’ve been harmed or hurt by the
source of your jealousy, you may want
to talk it out with that individual. If the
other person hasn’t done anything
wrong and you are still feeling jealous,
try focusing on positives.
• Instead of being jealous of everything you think someone has and
enjoys, remind yourself of everything
you have and enjoy in your life.
• If your jealousy stems from suspicion or fear of a loved one, mentally list
why you care about the other person
and the great memories with him/her.
Trade in traditional holiday chocolates and other
not-so-good-for-you sugary sweets for hip,
healthful alternatives in the kiddos’ baskets.
• Get those lil’ bodies moving: Keep kids busy with
items such as jump ropes, kites, and sidewalk chalk.
• Encourage craftiness: Nurture kids’ creativity with
art supplies, such as crayons, markers, sketch pads,
and coloring books.
• Boost brain power: Books are always a smart idea.
They can encourage imagination and foster knowledge.
Consider both fiction and nonfiction reads.
• Develop music lovers: Put together a CD of favorite
songs, or throw in a music gift card to download tunes.
5
FiscalFitness:
Before you put up
the for-sale sign
If you’re like many people, your house
is your biggest investment.
So, when it comes time to sell it, you want to make sure you
protect your asset and maximize the amount you get for it.
Although some homeowners opt for selling their homes on
their own, most individuals hire a real-estate agent or broker.
Make sure you get a professional who fits your needs and
personality and who is reputable and licensed. Interview
several agents or brokers until you find one you trust.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development has a list of questions to ask:
• How long have you sold houses in this area?
• How many houses have you sold in the past year?
• What’s your commission?
• If I were to work with you, how would you market
my house?
• Will you organize meetings with potential buyers
and coordinate the showings personally?
Mini money makers
Teaching kids to earn money (beyond any allowance you may
give them for household chores) may help them to better
learn the value of a dollar.
Here are a few ideas:
• Hold a toy sale: Think “garage sale,” but for toys only. The kids can
figure out what they want to sell and for how much. They should also
be responsible for making the advertising posters, being sure to include
the time, date, and location of the sale.You can also use the sale to teach
your kids about good customer service.
• Pet sitting: Your kids can care for neighbors’ birds, cats, dogs, and/or
fish while the homeowners are away for a few days.This service likely
will involve going to the neighbor’s house at least once a day, feeding
the animal(s), changing what needs changing (such as a litter box),
and interacting with the animal(s). Depending on your child’s age,
you may need to supervise.
• Car washing: Have your child, with a bucket of supplies,
go from house to house and approach known and trusted
neighbors about washing their cars in their driveways. The
neighbors might just turn into regular, weekly customers.
6 © HHI
Going green can be
good for your
pocketbook
Making simple changes to your
energy needs and household
products may not only be good
for the environment, but the
swaps can have positive effects
on your budget, too.
• Switching to LED or CFL bulbs
from incandescent bulbs can mean
75% less energy use. LED or CFL bulbs
can also last up to 25 times longer.
• Making your own cleaning products can be less costly than storebought products and less harsh.
Consider cleaning tubs and tile with
a simple concoction made from 1 ²/³
cups baking soda, 2 tablespoons
vinegar, ½ cup water, and ½ cup
unscented soap.
Wash clothes in cold water.
It uses less energy, which is
good for the environment and
your wallet.
IssueInsight:
‘Calgon®, take me away’
Jennie Schuman is probably a lot like you. She juggles work and
family commitments, and tries to squeeze healthy living into
her hectic schedule when she can. Follow along on Jennie’s
Health Journey.
I often find myself frazzled at the amount of
things I expect from myself each day and
repeat the mantra “Calgon take me
away!”* in my head. To keep the most
sanity I can in my day-to-day life, I have
developed a list of tips to help me realize
that the pace of life can be slowed
down to a jog instead of a sprint.
Source for
Tool Your
Cool Tools &
Box Resources
Go to Apr.HopeHealth.com to find:
• A carbon footprint calculator to learn how
much impact you’re having on the planet
• Information on how to prevent/reverse liver
damage
• Flavorful recipes that are healthful for
your liver
• A one-minute video on spring cleaning
your diet
• A 30-Day Photo Challenge
• The rest of Jennie’s story
• The crossword puzzle answer key
Go to Apr.HopeHealth.com for Jennie’s tips.
*The phrase originated with a series of advertisements from Calgon more than
30 years ago. The phrase was intended to show the relaxation that could come from
using the company's products, and it is now an expression used to show a desire to relax.
2
1
4
5
3
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Scan the QuickResponse Code with
your smartphone.
Crossword
Workout —
Find out how well you
know the health topics
covered in this issue of
the newsletter.
ACROSS
2. One in four people suffer from
this disease (abbreviation)
13
6. Switch to this type of light bulb
to save energy and money in the
long term
14
7. A snack swap for salted
pretzel sticks
DOWN
1. Another name for raw chocolate
3. An alternative to acupuncture
4. Add movement to your day by doing these while brushing your teeth
5. A factor to consider when making a new recipe
6. A way that kids can earn extra money (two words, no hyphen)
11. Cacao contains these
For the crossword puzzle answer key, go to
Apr.HopeHealth.com
8. A way you can help the
environment and other people at
the same time
9. A health-promoting Easter
basket item
10. If you feel jealous, try
focusing on these in your
own life
find us on
Facebook
Facebook.com/HopeHealthToolbox
If you have a question or comment on a story,
or a suggestion for topics you’d like to see covered
in a future issue of the newsletter, leave a comment
on our Facebook page.
The information in this publication is meant to complement the advice
of your healthcare providers, not to replace it. Before making any major
changes in your medications, diet, or exercise, talk to your doctor.
© 2015 by the Hope Heart Institute, Seattle, WA
Institute Founder: Lester R. Sauvage, MD
Material may not be used without permission. To view or make
comments on this publication, visit HopeHealth.com/comments.asp
For subscription information, or reprint permission, contact:
Hope Health, 5937 West Main Street
Kalamazoo, MI 49009
Phone: 269-343-0770 • E-mail: info@HopeHealth.com
Website: HopeHealth.com
Printed with soybean ink. Please recycle.
Medical Editor: William Mayer, MD, MPH
Managing Editor: Jennifer Cronin
Medical Advisory Board: Victor J. Barry, DDS • Renee Belfor, RD
• Patricia C. Buchsel, RN, MSN, FAAN • Kenneth Holtyn, MS
• Reed Humphrey, PhD • Gary B. Kushner, SPHR, CBP
• Patrick J.M. Murphy, PhD • Barbara O’Neill, CFP
• Wallace Wilkins, PhD
12. To help the environment,
pick up this
13. The skin standard for
evaluating moles
14. A symptom of sleep apnea
7
Focus on finances
Money matters are areas that many people don’t devote enough time and
attention to keeping in good shape. Think of your financial health
as you would your physical health and come up with an
“exercise routine” to become financially fit. Here are some
ideas to try to start incorporating into your money workout.
Apr 1 – 7: Establish a budget if you don’t have one, or take
a look at your existing one to make sure that it still works for
you. Get in the habit of periodically recording all expenses
as you pay them so you don’t leave anything out and are
forced to see how much you really spend.
Apr 8 – 14: Keep regular tabs on your checking account. If you have
online banking, log into your account every few days to make sure that all
transactions appear accurate and that you’ve recorded them all in your transaction register.
Apr 15 – 21: Make a savings schedule if you don’t already have one. Decide how much money you’ll
put into a savings account and how often. The key is to feed your savings account on a regular basis and not
just sporadically when you may have some extra money.
Apr 22 – 30: At the end of each month, set a specific financial goal for the following month. Maybe you’ll up your savings
contribution by a certain amount starting the following month, or perhaps you’ll curb a money-draining splurge item.
Weight Control:
Snack swaps
What you eat between
meals can either save or
sabotage your healthful
eating efforts.
According to the American Heart Association, “To keep
a snack healthy, be sure to review its nutrition facts. If
those are woeful, there is always a healthful alternative
that can easily be substituted. The key is to replicate
shapes and textures, but opt for the healthier options.”
Instead of
Try
Sour cream and onion flavored potato chips
Kale chips
Chili cheese flavored corn chips
Kettle corn
Gummy fruit bites
Fresh strawberries
Salted pretzel sticks
Carrot sticks
Ice cream
Frozen yogurt
“The only real mistake
is the one from which
we learn nothing.”
— John Powell
“A cloudy day is no match
for a sunny disposition.”
— William Arthur Ward
“Don’t eat anything
your great-grandmother
wouldn’t recognize
as food.”
— Michael Pollan
“You can tell how smart
people are by what
they laugh at.”
— Tina Fey
Source: American Heart Association
“You must expect great
things from yourself before
you can do them.”
— Michael Jordan
© HHI
8